Ever thought about how Christianity got started? People in the first century were skeptical and had their beliefs and biases, just like today.
The New Testament doesn't make claims about things that happened long ago and far away, like a fairy tale, but rather makes many statements were verifiable to the initial readers. For example:
All four gospels record that Jesus miraculously fed thousands of people on two occasions. was verifiable at the time? Would people in those places remember this sort of thing? The whole ministry of Jesus spanned a narrow strip of land 70 miles long, and lasted around three years.
Luke's gospel reports that when Jesus raised someone from the dead in a town called Nain, that the report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country (Luke 7:17).
Mark's gospel claims that two thousand pigs ran into a certain lake and drowned on one occasion in Jesus' ministry. Presumably that would mean a lot of bacon on sale and something that would have been remembered by many.
Matthew's gospel records an explanation for the resurrection of Jesus that "was commonly reported" to the day that his gospel was written, namely that the disciples stole of the body of Jesus and the soldiers who guarded the tomb were bribed (see Matt 28:15). This means that the death, burial and empty tomb was widely accepted at the time.
The apostle Paul, writing to a church he started, said that the resurrected Jesus was seen by over five hundred brothers at one time, "most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep." (See 1 Corinthians 15).
For more information, find the video called "The Resurrection Argument That Changed a Generation of Scholars - Gary Habermas at UCSB" on YouTube.
Here is the link:
https://youtu.be/ay_Db4RwZ_M
Top 5 non-Christian sources for the Historical Jesus
1) Tacitus: Roman historian
Describes persecution of Christians under Nero and the death of Jesus under Pontius Pilate
The Annals 15:44
2) Pliny the Younger - Roman author and administrator
Wrote letter seeking advice on how to conduct legal proceedings against those accused of being Christians
Pliny,Letters 10.96-97
3) Josephus: Jewish scholar and historian
Mentions Jesus in a disputed passage.
Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, 3[52].
Also describes the martyrdom of "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James"
the Antiquities of the Jews (Book 20, Chapter 9, 1)
4) Babylonian Talmud: Jewish writings
States that Jesus was "hanged" on the eve of Passover
Tactrate Sanhedrin, Folio 43a
5) Lucian: Greek satyrist
Writes disparagingly about Jesus and Christians
Lucian, "Death of Peregerine"
1) Tacitus: Roman historian
Describes persecution of Christians under Nero and the death of Jesus under Pontius Pilate
The Annals 15:44
2) Pliny the Younger - Roman author and administrator
Wrote letter seeking advice on how to conduct legal proceedings against those accused of being Christians
Pliny,Letters 10.96-97
3) Josephus: Jewish scholar and historian
Mentions Jesus in a disputed passage.
Antiquities of the Jews, Book 18, Chapter 3, 3[52].
Also describes the martyrdom of "the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James"
the Antiquities of the Jews (Book 20, Chapter 9, 1)
4) Babylonian Talmud: Jewish writings
States that Jesus was "hanged" on the eve of Passover
Tactrate Sanhedrin, Folio 43a
5) Lucian: Greek satyrist
Writes disparagingly about Jesus and Christians
Lucian, "Death of Peregerine"
Here is a video that describes this in more detail:
